I applied to Northwestern because of all the opportunities the school could offer. Travelling to Cuba and attending conferences through Medill, studying abroad with my friends, taking classes in all areas until I found a path that stuck, even joining a Latin dance team — my Northwestern path has been filled with new experiences I couldn’t get anywhere else. I stayed because of the communities I found and the ones I helped form.

However, many students — including myself at times — have not been able to fully feel at home at the University. Whether it’s consistently low black student satisfaction; microaggressions against women, trans and gender non-conforming people; or limited funding for first-gen/low-income students, Northwestern has not historically been an inclusive place for all. Beyond the difficulties of being a first-year or transfer, students of marginalized backgrounds often have to work twice as hard to find that community we all seek coming to the University.

This piece isn’t meant to scare you or make you more nervous about coming to Northwestern. I have had an overall amazing time here, and I truly cannot imagine having attended a different institution. When I received The Daily’s Orientation Issue three Augusts ago, I felt like I already belonged on campus as I read the NU dictionary, sports previews and witty columns (the same type of content you hold in your hands or see on your screen at this very moment).

But beyond the more surface-level things like going to football tailgates or joining different clubs, my meaning of the word “community” has evolved so much since I held that first Orientation Issue in my hands so long ago. I’ve seen students band together to protest gun violence, attend justice marches in Chicago and raise thousands of dollars for service workers laid off by the University. We stick together in times of crisis.

There are still many points of contention on our campus concerning free speech, police abolition, historically white Greek life and more. Our sense of community has been both tested and strengthened over the past few years, but the conversations we’re holding are nothing new — we have a history of fighting for equity and justice on campus. From the 1968 Bursar’s Takeover to the 1995 hunger strikes to last year’s Sheridan Road shutdown to demand fossil fuel divestment, Northwestern protests have shaped the way we view “community” on campus and in the city today.

So as you figure out your place in a world already filled with uncertainty, remember the legacies of those who have worked hard to make our school more inclusive and open. Not only does your voice matter and have value, but combined with your fellow students, it can make a huge impact: in the classroom, in your dorm or extracurricular, and at the University. We are always stronger together.

Marissa Martinez
Editor in chief
[email protected]